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U.S.  DEPOSITORY 


Issued  May  27,  1914. 


United  States  Department  of  Agriculture, 

BUREAU  OF  ENTOMOLOGY. 


THE  PERIODICAL  CICADA  IN  1914. 

Information  is  desired  on  the  sxibjcct  of  the  occurrence  of  Brood  V 
of  the  periodical  cicada  (Tibicen  scptendecim  L.)  (fig.  1.)  to  supple- 
ment and  complete  our  knowledge  of  the  distribution  of  this  brood. 

The  known  distribution  of  this  brood  is  indicated  in  the  accom- 
panying map  (fig.  2).  The  brood  occupies,  in  the  main,  a  rather 
compact  territory,  lying  chiefly  in  Ohio  and  West  Virginia,  with  a  few 


Fig.  1. — The  periodical  chada  (  Tibicen  scptendecim):  a,  Adult;  5,  same,  side  view;  c,  shed  pupal  skin. 
Natural  size.    (Author's  illustration.) 

scattering  colonies  in  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  Some  of  the  south- 
ern West  Virginia  records  are  open  to  doubt,  as  are  also  some  of  the 
records  in  Virginia.  The  distribution  of  this  brood  by  States  and 
counties,  as  listed  below,  is  based  on  records  running  back  more  than 
100  years  and  particularly  on  studies  in  1897  in  Ohio  by  Prof.  F.  M. 
Webster  and  in  West  Virginia  by  Dr.  A.  D.  Hopkins,  together  with 
numerous  records  obtained  by  this  bureau. 

DISTRIBUTION  BY  STATES  AND  COUNTIES. 

Ohio. — Ashland,  Athens,  Belmont,  Carroll,  Columbiana,  Coshocton,  Crawford, 
Cuyahoga,  Delaware,  Erie,  Fairfield,  Franklin,  Gallia,  Geauga,  Guernsey,  Harrison, 
Hocking,  Holmes,  Huron,  Jacksou,  Jefferson,  Knox,  Lake,  Licking,  Lorain,  Mahoning, 

42862°— 14 


Molina,  Meigs,  Monroe,  Morgan,  Muskingum,  Noble,  Peny,  Pickaway,  Pike,  P.rtage, 
Richland,    Roes,   Sandusky,    Bd  -^tark,   Summit,   Tuscarawas,    Vinton, 

hington,  Wayne. 

.  Washington. 

Virginia. — Augusta,  Caroline,  Highland  (?),  Shenandoah. 

\\  i  bx  \  moDrxa.  Be  bour,  Boone,  Braxton,  Brooke,  Calhoun,  Hay,  Doddridge, 
Fayette,  <  rilmer,  Grant,  <  ireenbriar(?),  Hancock,  Hardy,  Harrison,  Jack-  vha, 

Lewis,  Marion,  Marshall,  Mason,  Mineral,  Monongalia,  .\klmlas,  Ohio,  Pleasants, 
1'     ihonl  ton,   Putnam,    Randolph,    Ritchie,    Roane,   Summers (?),  Taylor, 

Tucker,  Tyler,  CFpehur,  Wayne,  Webster,  Wetzel,  Wirt,  Wood. 


Fig.  2.— Map  showing  distribution  of  Brood  V,  1914. 
GENERAL  CONSIDERATIONS. 

The  periodical  cicada  is  so  well  known  that  a  general  account  of  it 
in  this  place  is  unnecessary.  When  it  appears  in  great  numbers  it 
naturally  causes  considerable  alarm  and  arouses  fears  for  the  saf< 
of  shade  trees  and  orchards.  The  actual  damage,  however,  is  usually 
slight,  except  in  the  case  of  newly  planted  orchards,  and  even  here,  by 
vigorous  pruning  back  after  the  cicada  has  disappeared,  much  of  the 
injury  caused  by  the  egg  punctures  (fig. 3)  can  he  obviated. 

Ordinary  repellent  substances,  such  as  kerosene  emulsion  or  can 
bolic-acid  solutions,  seem  to  have  very  littlo  effect  in  preventing  the 
oviposition  of  these  insects.  Somerecenl  experience,  however,  indi- 
cates that  trees  thoroughly  sprayed  with  Bordeaux  mixture  or  a  lime 
wasji  are  apt  to  be  avoided  by  the  cicada,  especially  if  there  are  other 


\ 


trees  or  woods  in  the  neighborhood  on  which  they  can  oviposit.  The 
most  reliable  means  of  protecting  nurseries  and  young  orchards  is  by 
collecting  the  insects  in  bags  or  umbrellas 
from  the  trees  in  early  morning  or  late 
evening,  when  they  arc  somewhat  torpid. 
Such  collections  should  be  undertaken  at 
the  first  appearance  of  the  cicada  and" 
repeated  each  day. 

The  recipient  of  this  notice  is  urgently 
requested  to  report,  about  June  10,  on  tho 
inclosed  postal  card,  any  occurrences  of 
this  insect.  The  cicadas  may  be  expected 
to  emerge  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of 
May,  and  scattering  individuals  may  be 
found  up  to  the  middle  of  June.  Any 
cicadas  collected  later  than  June  will 
probably  belong  to  other  species,  and 
wherever  the  observer  is  in  doubt  it  will 
be  well  to  send  specimens  for  determi- 
nation. A  negative  record  is  often  quite 
as  valuable  as  one  of  actual  occurrence. 
The  card  should  be  filled  out  with  the 
name  of  the  locality,  including  the  State, 
county,  and  town,  the  name  of  the 
observer,  and  the  date.  Space  is  left  at 
the  bottom  of  the  card  for  a  note  on  any 
features  of  interest,  and  the  information 
given  should  include  the  date  of  first 
appearance  or  emergence  of  the  cicada, 
the  date  of  its  general  disappearance,  and 
the  numbers — in  other  words,  whether 
very  numerous  or  scattering,  or  whether 
only  a  few  individuals  occur.  No  postage 
is  necessary  on  this  card. 

C.    L.    MAItLATT, 

Entomologist  and  Acting  Chief  in  Absence  of  Chief. 
Approved : 

L.  O.  Howard, 

Entomologist  and  Chief  of  Bureau. 
Washington,  D.  C,  May  12,  1914. 

o 


a>  6 

Fig.  3. — Egg  punctures  of  the  periodical 
cicada:  a,  Twig  showing  recent  punc- 
tures, from  front  and  side,  and  illus- 
trating manner  of  breaking;  6,  twig 
showing  older  punctures,  with  retrac- 
tion of  bark  and  more  fully  displaying 
the  arrangement  of  fibers.  Natural 
size.    (After  Kiley.) 


WASHINGTON  :  GOTHBNIIENT  Jil INTI  N6  OFKICH  :  191* 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  FLORIDA 


3  1262  08927  9938 


